


Palindrome

by SomeCereals



Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Azul Ashengrotto cameo, F/M, Pining, Self-Sacrifice, The little mermaid - Freeform, more tears, movie date, suffer more, the twins fight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:14:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24962860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeCereals/pseuds/SomeCereals
Summary: They are two halves of the same whole, yet only one can obtain happiness.Together, a sad paradox.
Relationships: Yuu/Floyd Leech, Yuu/Jade Leech
Comments: 6
Kudos: 118





	Palindrome

**Author's Note:**

> I love the twins so much, so naturally I also want them to cry a little.
> 
> Please enjoy.

_Shock the heart, make me cry._

_Bind the heart, don’t be shy._

* * *

“Are you certain you want to do this?”

“I am.”

“You realize there is no going back from this, yes?”

“I do.”

“You’ve steeled your resolve?”

“I have.”

“...Very well. You shall be able to acquire that which your heart desires most--and I will take your Unique Magic as my payment.”

“I understand.”

“Just sign on the dotted line.”

He does.

Azul hurriedly glances over the document, an uncharacteristic sadness instead of the glint of greed in his eyes. He brings himself to look up and exhales a shaky sigh.

“ _It’s a deal_.”

“The potion?”

“...Here. Remember--the effects last for just one day, so use it wisely. But...if you are able to glean a kiss from her before sunset, the effects will be permanent, and I will not be returning your Unique Magic. You will have an entirely new life. Be _careful_.”

“I will.”

Azul hands the vial over, but he does not relinquish it from his grip right away.

“You’re making a mistake. A _grave_ mistake,” Azul warns, jaw clenched. “What will _he_ think of--”

But the potion is snatched up and already down his client’s throat before he can finish his sentence.

The vial clatters to the floor--and so does the client, writhing in pain.

Skin crawls.

Bones snap.

Flesh reshapes. 

He howls like a wild animal.

Azul can do nothing but watch.

* * *

“Jade! Over here!” Yuu waves a hand at her friend, flagging him down in the sea of movie-goers.

His eyes meet hers, and he smiles as he approaches. “Good day. I hope I did not keep you waiting for too long.”

Oh, she is just _too_ adorable in that outfit--a knee-length dress, flared out at the hem and pale pink like a shrimp, with an oversized, fluffy white cardigan draped on top. Yuu looks so innocent, so fragile. So eager to be gobbled up.

Jade chuckles to himself, refraining from making the comment out loud.

His blood is pumping, he’s salivating.

He fights to maintain his composure.

“You’re fine!” she laughs, looping an arm around Jade’s and tugging gently. “Come on, let’s go get our stuff.”

Wherever she touches, it sends electricity racing through his skin.

But he only smiles and nods. “As you wish.”

He allows himself to be led away, past the ticket counter and through the snack line, then shepherded into a screening room.

Jade cannot make out anything in that darkness but the vague outline of Yuu’s face. She is beaming, blushing, every time she glances at him. 

He knows that look.

He knows it very, _very_ well.

His hunger surges.

Jade forces himself to look away--before he loses control, before he’s all over her.

They settle into their seats.

The screen flickers to life.

And it begins.

* * *

“What did you think of the movie?” Jade asks as they filter into the theater lobby.

“It was great!” Yuu is enthusiastic, her eyes sparkling. “The music was so lively, the characters were colorful...but the story was kind of sad. It was still good, but it was sad.”

“Oya? The little mermaid was happily married to her prince for all her troubles. It is the best of endings, the very definition of a happily ever after.”

“Well, yeah, but…” Yuu nibbles on her lower lip, deep in contemplation. “The little mermaid had to change herself so much to be with the prince. And on top of that, she has to abandon her family--the only family she has, the family that she loves so much.”

Jade’s smile falters--but he swiftly corrects it.

“I see. You make a valid point, my dear.” He shakes his head. “However, love works in mysterious ways. Why, it can drive even the most logical of men to make rash decisions and bold sacrifices. Perhaps, to the little mermaid, leaving her form and her family behind was well worth what she would gain in her new life.”

His eyes are distant, far away.

Distracted.

“Hey...is something bothering you?” Yuu asks, frowning slightly.

“I am fine. No need to concern yourself,” Jade insists, ruffling her hair. “I had a lovely time today.”

She pouts, running hands through her hair to pat it back into place. Her face is hot. “Um…”

“Is something bothering _you_ , my dear?” he asks, a teasing filt to his voice. “You appear to be rather flustered yourself, fufu.”

She fiddles with the hem of her shirt. Suddenly, Yuu finds the floor to be very interesting. “I...well, I was wondering...because you said things about love and having a good time today...um! Do you...do you l-like me? A-As in... _like_ , like!”

Jade freezes.

This is it---this is _his_ moment, his chance to sweep her off her feet.

But his tongue catches in his throat.

“B-Because…” Yuu continues, her voice trembling. “I...I like you, Jade. A-And! I want to date you. So...I need to know! W-What do you think of me?!”

“I…”

His voice trails off.

She has closed her eyes, puckered her lips. Awaiting her true love’s kiss.

The right words refuse to come out. He cannot bring himself any closer, cannot claim her lips as his own.

“I...I must use the men’s restroom,” he says slowly. “P-Please excuse me…!”

Jade retreats.

* * *

He clings to a sink, sweat beading on his forehead and complexion sallow.

“I’m fine. I can do this,” he instructs himself in the mirror.

Somehow, it is him that returns his look--him, but also _not_ him.

“She _loves_ you. Just accept that,” he says, but his conviction fails to come through.

His heart palpitates, protesting.

Jade’s reflection stares back at him--disapprovingly.

That smile is fake. It does not suit him.

When had the mirror started to show someone he couldn’t recognize?

His stomach lurches.

He thinks of her radiant smile, the way her cheeks are painted pink when she looks his way. Such pure, unadulterated feelings.

And here he is, manipulating them.

He knows--he knows that he loves her.

He _can’t_ go through with this.

“I need to tell her,” he says out loud. “I need to tell her the _truth_.”

There is a knock.

“Coming,” he calls--

\--but he is greeted with his mirror image when he opens the door.

“Pardon the intrusion,” Jade says smoothly, stepping inside. “We need to talk, _Floyd._ ”

* * *

He drops his game of pretend.

“What are you doing here?” Floyd asks, his voice low. In the bathroom mirror, his reflection is that of his twin brother.

“I do believe today was meant to be _my_ movie outing with Yuu-san,” Jade replies calmly, “though it looks to me that you have already gone to the trouble of taking my place.” His sharp teeth reveal themselves. “Did the transformation hurt, Floyd? Ah, but at the very least, you did have fun today, so I suppose I cannot fault you for that.”

“Cut the crap!” Floyd growls, bunching his hands into fists. “Did you...did you tell koebi-chan....?!”

“But of course. I have informed her of my deception.”

“ _Your_ deception?!”

Another one of Jade’s expertly crafted lies.

“I hold no romantic feelings whatsoever toward Yuu-san, but I did not have the heart to outright reject her. Therefore, I asked you, my dear brother, to take on my form and do the rejecting for me. And you, being the kind soul that you are, did,” Jade explains lightly. “Fufu. It was easy to convince her of that. She scurried off with tears in her eyes.”

His smile wavers.

“There is no chance for me now.”

“ _You_ …!!” Floyd furiously slams his brother against the bathroom door. “It...It wasn’t supposed to be like this…!”

“Oh, but it _is_ ,” Jade insists. “What I have done is unforgivable. Yuu-san is heartbroken. Now she will go running into your arms instead of mine. You will console her, and she will love you. You can have _your_ happily ever after, Floyd.”

Tears prickle his eyes.

Floyd slams a fist on the door.

“Why...Why are you _always_ like this, Jade?!” he shouts, his volume spiking. “Why are you _always_ putting other people before yourself?! Every time I throw a tantrum, you let me. Every time I’m demanding something, you give it to me. It’s like you don’t even care about your own happiness…!”

“Your happiness is _my_ happiness, Floyd.”

“Like _hell_ it is!”

Jade’s gaze hardens. “I will do anything to ensure that you are content--even if it means hurting myself in the process.”

Floyd’s anger flares. “I HATE YOU!” he screams. “I hate how you put me first, how you brush off your own wants and needs...I hate how _selfish_ you are, Jade!! _I hate it_!!”

“You should be relieved, not resentful,” he reprimands gently. “Now you will no longer need to pretend to be someone you are not to earn Yuu-san’s affections. You can be yourself, in your own skin, with your own personality.”

“You idiot! That...That’s not why I did any of this at _all_!” Floyd’s vision blurs. Tears threaten to spill out, and his voice quivers. “I...I knew. I knew you wouldn’t take koebi-chan--you wouldn’t want to hurt me. So I...I made a contract with Azul…! If I become you for a day, then...then I can force ‘Jade’ to date her…!”

Jade purses his lips. “You really should not have tried to do that. I would have simply disposed of her once she was convinced she was dating ‘Jade’.”

“You would have been _happy_ !” Floyd shouts. “You would have been happy for once…! I just want you to be happy, Jade!! _Is that so wrong_?!”

“...You love her.” Jade says softly. “How can I ever bring myself to take away that which my one and only brother holds dear to him? For you, I am willing to make any sacrifice.”

An invisible hand has a hold of Floyd’s heart. It squeezes--tightly--binding him.

His tears spill over.

“You understand, don’t you?” Jade whispers, wiping away his brother’s tears with a gentle touch. “There are plenty of fish in the sea--but there is only one of you, Floyd--so I want to see you off with a smile.”

Floyd lets out a wail. It is harsh, grating, ugly.

His shoulders sag, and he collapses into his brother’s chest. Floyd screeches, bashing Jade on the chest with his fists--each blow like twisting a knife into his gut. But he stands there and takes the hits.

“Waaaah, J-J-Jaaaaade...y-you idiot...you _idiot_ …”

“There, there. It’s alright. Everything will be fine.” Jade scoops him up in a hug. His voice is barely audible, likes waves lapping against a shore--but it brings Floyd peace.

Embracing like this, Floyd cannot make out Jade’s own wet eyes.

They hold each other--

Floyd sobbing and sobbing and _sobbing_ , and Jade listening in silence. Waiting for the storm to come to completely pass.

Sunset arrives.

The sky is bleeding red.

A white glow bubbles up on Floyd’s skin and stretches across his entire body, engulfing him. He shimmers, sparkles dancing in the dying day. The magic, unfurling.

When the light dissipates, and his reflection if that of Jade no more.

He is Floyd.

And he always will be.

The brothers, at last, peel away from each other. Jade takes his Floyd by the shoulder and looks him squarely in the eyes--the eyes of Floyd, not Jade, Leech.

“Your resolve is clear. You must go after her. _Now_.”

Floyd sniffles loudly, wiping his tears away with the back of his sleeve. “Geez...Jade, you big dummy…! I...I’m gonna squeeze you for this later…!”

“Fufu. Then, by all means.” Jade nods. “Go. Yuu-san needs you.”

His brother returns his nod and charges off, a revitalized spring to his step.

“Farewell, Floyd.” Jade’s smile is mysterious, wistful--and sad. “I wish you all the happiness in the world.”

A single tear cascades from his eyes.

It lands on his lips.

It tastes like the lonesome sea.

“And...farewell, my first love.”

* * *

_Bind the heart, you and I._

_Shock the heart, left behind._

**Author's Note:**

> Did you know? If you set SR Ceremonial Robes Floyd as your home screen character, he has a line where the imitates Jade. That inspired this piece~
> 
> I hope I was able to successfully capture the twins, both their good and their bad parts.
> 
> If you enjoyed reading this piece, please check out my Twisted Wonderland writing blog and consider sending in a request of your own (though currently I am not accepting new requests)! I usually only post my longer pieces to AO3 (1000+ words), but you can find a lot of my shorter one shots on the blog.
> 
> Link is: https://raven-at-the-writing-desk.tumblr.com/
> 
> Thank you for your time~


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